Bankrupt Sean Quinn 'Scared Of Prison'

Bankrupt businessman Sean Quinn, whose son and nephew have been jailed, has admitted he is scared of being sent to prison.

His son and nephew have been jailed for contempt of court, after breaching an order not to put 500m euros of overseas property assets beyond the reach of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation.

But his nephew Peter Darragh Quinn failed to appear for sentencing, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Mr Quinn said his nephew seemed to have a "desperate fear of prison" and added that while he shared that fear, he would go to jail if sentenced.

In an interview with Irish radio station Shannonside, he said: "Do I think it's wrong? Am I afraid of it? Yes I am.

"Will I back off it? Will I lose my pride? I won't.

"If Anglo feels it hasn't done enough damage to me already by taking my money, my company, my reputation, if they want to finish it off by putting me in prison, then so be it - I'll accept that."

He told the station he was a scapegoat for the failings of the Anglo Irish Bank, which was bailed out by the Irish state in 2009.

The bank is owed £2bn by Mr Quinn and tried to recover some of that from property he owns in Russia and Ukraine, but the money and ownership disappeared into companies across the world.

Mr Quinn said he believed his family would eventually be vindicated.

(NE)